In the last decade the Craft Beer Industry has built momentum like a tidal wave spreading across the globe. By 2010 it had already swept through Cape Town and, being a visionary in Durban’s Restaurant Industry, Sean Roberts predicted it was set to wash upon local shores. So, he decided to become one of the pioneering brewers and distributors of the soon to boom trade. In 2011, he realized this dream by opening the local pub in Musgrave we all know and love as Unity Bar.

Sean swiftly partnered with Robson’s Brewery to produce Unity’s beloved in-house brew: Cowbell (“I have a fever and the only cure is more Cowbell.” LOL; remember that Saturday live skit?). Stuart Robson then sold his brewery to Brian and Donn Stuart. And amidst the transition and relocation, the worst thing imaginable happened… Unity ran out of Cowbell!! And the customers were mooing for its sweet nectar. At this point it was clear that Sean’s plan to spearhead local love for the craft had been successful, so he started couriering a wide range from Cape Town. That’s when Unity transitioned into Durban’s first 100% bona fide craft beer bar. Sean went to a local home brewer’s festival hosted by the 1000 hills chef school. One particular beer simply blew him away: That Irish Red – made by Paul Ten Hoorn Boer. Sean handed Paul a business card and said, “One day we will have a brewery together; call me.”

About six months later Paul strolled into Unity bar for a beer and before he knew it he was building a 300l brewery on a “shoe string budget” in a garage in Umbilo, with the sole purpose of supplying Unity with beer. The brewery ended up reaching a capacity of about 4000 liters a month!

An advertising agency on the top floor of The Foundry in the trendy Station drive precinct had ordered some beer for an event. When Sean and Paul went to set the taps up they fell in love with both the atmospheric building and the arty precinct. They started spending a lot of time around station drive and eventually heard of a vacancy. The two lads very quickly formed a partnership/bromance and scraped every penny they had together to build the brewery you now see at the back of our restaurant. Paul quit the music industry and earned his title as Brew Master. Sean and his wife Marcelle Roberts, having extensive knowledge of the restaurant game, attached the aptly named venue S43 to the brewery (That’s our address).

And that’s how S43 – Home to That Brewing Company – came about.

The rest is history.

Enjoy the beer
Marcelle, Paul & Sean.